Juan Urango vs. Randall Bailey 140 lbs.

Juan Urango TKO's Randall Bailey in 11 Rounds
Urango Pictured Top, Bailey Pictured Bottom

Randall Bailey (39-7, 35 KO's) has been making a comeback since suffering a 12 round split decision defeat to Herman Ngoudjo in 2007. Juan Urango suffered a defeat in his last outing against Andre Berto was looking to bounce back with a victory. This was a crossroads fight for both men and it contained a lot of action from the start. There were two main questions leading into the fight: Could Bailey hurt Urango with his sharp right hand? Would Urango sustain an effective pressure attack and get to Bailey?

By the 4th round, Urango was really starting to pressure Bailey and landed some hard body shots. In the 5th round, Urango landed a right uppercut and followed it with a straight left. Bailey was hitting Urango with his straight right, but Urango took the punches well.

The drama started to begin in round 6. Great karate sparring equipment at low prices. Bailey flattened Urango with a straight right hand in the first minute of the round. Urango suffered a cut as a result of that punch. Urango rose to his feet and they started exchanging again. Urango threw and connected with a left and Bailey was momentarily off-balance. While off-balanced, Bailey's glove touched the canvas, which should have resulted in a knockdown being scored for Urango. It happened in a flash and the referee missed it.

In the 7th round, Urango landed a right hook and kept the pressure on Bailey. Bailey continued to fire the right hand. Urango floored Bailey in round 9 with a right hook-straight left combination. Bailey just got to his feet in time to beat the count, but was floored again by Urango. This time Urango dropped Bailey with a right uppercut-straight left combination. Bailey would miraculously make it through the round.

As the fight entered round 10, Urango was landing more cleaner punches than Bailey. Urango was successful in knocking Bailey down for a 3rd time when he landed a solid right hook to Bailey's body. Bailey started to suffer a lot of swelling under his left eye. Urango hit Bailey with a right hook as the bell rang to close the round.

Round 11 would be the end for Bailey. With swelling under his cut right eye, Urango nailed Bailey with a vicious right hook to the body. Urango continued to apply pressure and landed some more clean shots. Bailey's corner had seen enough and stopped the bout.

Juan Urango bounced back nicely after losing to Andre Berto. Berto's speed and agility kept Urango off-balanced that night, but Bailey does not move like Berto and stood in front of Urango all night. Urango forced Bailey to fight backing up, which he could not do. Bailey needed to be set to unleash his powerful right hand. With the pressure Urango put on him, Bailey was not able to sustain an efficient offensive attack. As a result, Urango was able to hit Bailey with plenty of clean punches and eventually stopped him.

Tavoris Cloud - Clinton Woods 175 lbs.

Tavoris Cloud Wins 12 Round Unanimous Decision Over Clinton Woods
Cloud Pictured Top, Woods Pictured Bottom

Round 1: Cloud is busier and has the edge in hand speed. Woods lands a hook and left uppercut inside. When Cloud stopped jabbing, both fighters exchanged and landed clean shots. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 2: Woods hits Cloud with a left hook followed by a right. Cloud gets nailed with a left uppercut-right hand combination from Woods. Cloud snaps Woods' head back with a right uppercut. Woods is jabbing more this round. (Scored for Woods)

Round 3: Cloud hits Woods with a right. Cloud lands a jab-overhand right combination. Woods tags Cloud with a right uppercut. Cloud responds with a combination. Cloud nails Woods with a clean right. A left hook-right hand combination score for Cloud. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 4: Woods lands a left hook. Cloud hammers Woods with a left hook to the body and head. Cloud lands consecutive rights. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 5: Good, competitive round. Both fighters land punches off their jab. I thought Woods beat Cloud a little bit more to the punch. (Scored for Woods)

Round 6: Cloud picks up the pace. Cloud landed more punches. Woods is getting hit with Cloud's right more this round. Cloud lands a left uppercut inside. Cloud hits Woods in the body. Cloud lands consecutive rights to close round. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 7: Cloud hits Woods with a left hook to the body and head. Woods is getting hit with hard overhand rights from Cloud. Cloud is putting the pressure on. Woods' punch output is decreasing. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 8: Woods connects with a left uppercut. Cloud counters with a left hook to the head. Cloud starts hammering Woods - left hook, overhand right, left hook...Woods is staggering against the ropes. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 9: Cloud hits Woods with an overhand right. He jumps on the attack again. A hard right stuns Woods. Cloud connects with a left hook to the head. Woods is backed against the ropes. Woods is firing back, but there is not enough behind his punches. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 10: Woods connects with a left hook. Cloud counters with an overhand right. Woods gets stunned by a left hook to the head. Two overhand rights and a left hook hurt Woods. Woods fires back, but Cloud is overwhelming him. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 11: Woods is jabbing. Cloud lands a counter right. Toe-to-toe action closes the round. (Scored for Cloud)

Round 12: Woods is giving a valiant effort, but Cloud is going hard at him. (Scored for Cloud)

Overall Summary: Tavoris Cloud (20-0, 18 KO's) wins the IBF Light Heavyweight title with a hard fought victory over Clinton Woods (42-5-1, 24 KO's). Going into the fight, Cloud had knocked out 13 straight opponents. Woods had been stopped only once in his career by Roy Jones Jr. back in 2002. At times, it looked as if Cloud would stop him, but Woods showed courage and fired punches back when he was in trouble. All three judges scored the bout 116-112. I scored the bout 118-110 or 10 rounds to 2 for Cloud.

Both fighters showed they can take a solid punch. Cloud landed the harder, cleaner punches in the bout, but Woods caught Cloud cleanly a few times during exchanges. The more Cloud jabbed, the more he controlled the pace of the fight. Cloud's youth was also an added bonus. He threw more punches than Woods and kept coming at him. It appeared every punch he threw, he wanted to knock out Woods. Woods' most effective punches came when Cloud momentarily stopped throwing the jab or when Cloud was inside the pocket too long.

Tavoris Cloud may have set up a possible showdown with the winner of Chad Dawson-Glen Johnson II, which takes place on November 7th. Bernard Hopkins called out the winner of that match up, but I think most fight fans rather see B-Hop move up in weight and challenge Tomasz Adamek at cruiserweight. With Cloud's impressive performance over Woods, which was his toughest professional fight to date, he earned the right to face the Dawson-Johnson winner.

If Cloud were to fight the winner, either Dawson or Johnson would be an intriguing fight. With their styles, Johnson and Cloud would come forward and that would make an all action fight. If Cloud were to fight Dawson, could Cloud deal with Dawson's hand speed and southpaw style? Cloud would need to get inside by jabbing. Cloud definitely possesses the power to hurt Dawson. Dawson likes to throw that left uppercut-right hook combination. During the fight with Woods, Cloud got hit cleanly a few times by Woods, who doesn't punch as fast as Dawson. An effective jab can neutralize Dawson's hand speed. Also, Cloud has the big right hand, which is the best weapon when facing a southpaw. Well, this new title holder has some nice options ahead of him as well as a bright future. Everlast and Ringside punching bags and save with $2.95 shipping!

8/27/09 VERSUS - Mares vs. Fulgencio 119 lbs.

Abner Mares Destroys Carlos Fulgencio in 6 Rounds

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Round 1: Mares utilizes his jab, throws punches off of it. An overhand right pushes Fulgencio back into the ropes. Mares lands a straight right to the body. Mares is landing quick, sharp combinations.

Round 2: Mares hits Fulgencio with a clean, effective overhand right. Both fighters exchange punches.

Round 3: Mares' combinations landing fast and hard. Fulgencio lands an overhand right, but gets hit with one too. Mares is outworking Fulgencio inside, landing hard body shots.

Round 4: Mares continues to land hard body shots. Mares hits Fulgencio with a left hook to the head followed by a right to the body. An overhand right connects and stuns Fulgencio.

Round 5: Mares is dominating by landing quick combinations and applying pressure. Mares is initiating and winning the exchanges. Get your boxing protective equipment for less.

Round 6: Fulgencio moves back after getting hammered with a left hook-overhand right combination. Mares' hand speed is overwhelming Fulgencio. Mares connects with a left hook to the body with Fulgencio against the ropes. Mares is punishing him with overhand rights and body shots. Mares drops Fulgencio with a powerful left hook to the body for the 10 count.

Overall Summary: Abner Mares is an outstanding 23 year old bantamweight contender. He is now 19-0, 12 KO's as a professional and looks ready to challenge for a major title, possibly against Hozumi Hasegawa in the future. Hasegawa is regarded by many boxing insiders as the best bantamweight in the world. Mares also had a stellar amateur career with a record of 112-8, 84 KO's.

Mares overwhelmed Fulgencio from the opening bell, landing blistering combinations from all angles. Mares had a superior edge in hand speed and continually beat Fulgencio to the punch. Fulgencio had a lot of trouble getting his punches off. Mares would move inside, throw a 4 punch combination and move out of Fulgencio's range. Mares possesses extraordinary ring instincts. He appears to sense when punches are coming, knows what his opponents will do and has the confidence and ability needed to be one of boxing's brightest up and coming stars.

Mares is trained by Ignacio Beristain and promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
Carlos Fulgencio's record falls to 11-4-1, 7 KO's.

8/27/09 VERSUS - Rodela vs. Rodriguez 126 lbs.

David Rodela Wins 6 Round Unanimous Decision Over Gamalier Rodriguez

Round 1: Rodriguez landed more punches this round. Rodriguez hit Rodela with a left hook to the body followed by an overhand right. Rodriguez also landed a left to the body and left uppercut.

Round 2: Rodriguez lands an overhand right. Rodela counters with a straight right-left hook to the body combination. Rodriguez is feeling the pressure from Rodela. Rodriguez lands consecutive left hooks to the head.

Round 3: Rodela continues to pressure. Both fighters exchange uppercuts on the inside. Rodela lands hard left hooks to the head and body. Rodela slows Rodriguez down.

Round 4: Rodriguez switches to a southpaw stance. Rodela keeps the pressure on.

Round 5: Rodriguez switches to a southpaw stance again. Rodela lands a solid right to the head. Rodela gets in closer range to land his punches. Rodela hits Rodriguez with a left hook to the head. Rodriguez lands a straight left.

Round 6: Rodriguez lands a straight left on the break. Rodriguez stuns Rodela with a left uppercut-right hook combination. Get yourself a new punching bag and save with $2.95 shipping.


Overall Summary: It's not where you start, but where you finish. Gamalier Rodriguez started fast, but David Rodela's relentless pressure got him the victory on Thursday night. Rodela was resilient, landing the harder punches in exchanges and keeping the heat on Rodriguez from the 2nd round. Rodriguez tried switching to a southpaw stance in rounds 4 and 5 to throw Rodela off his game, but Rodela continued to press forward at a furious pace. Rodela improves his record to 14-1-3, 6 KO's. Gamalier Rodriguez's record drops to 8-2-2, 4 KO's.


Other Action: In a junior bantamweight fight, David Gaspar (11-2-1, 7 KO's) won a 6 round unanimous decision over Sergio Espinoza (16-6-1, 5 KO's). Gaspar dropped Espinoza in the 1st and 3rd rounds.

8/27/09 VERSUS - Lopez vs. Wampash 126 lbs.

Ricky Lopez Wins 4 Round Unanimous Decision Over John Wampash

Round 1: Wampash lands a series of left hooks and is fighting very aggressively.

Round 2: Lopez drops Wampash with a left jab - overhand right combination to the head. Wampash gets up and gets tagged with a left hook. Wampash's left glove touches the canvas for the second knockdown. Wampash lands a left hook to the head and is throwing wild punches.

Round 3: Wampash is unloading a series of punches. Both fighters land overhand rights. Lopez knocks Wampash's mouthpiece out with a jab. Lopez lands clean left hooks to the head and a solid left hook to the body. Protect yourself with sparring equipment.

Round 4: Lopez floors Wampash with a jab-right hand combination. Lopez hits Wampash with an overhand right. Wampash lands a right uppercut inside.

Overall Summary: Ricky Lopez had a slow first round, but picked up the pace in round 2. He dropped Wampash three times, twice in the second round. Lopez boxed his taller opponent well and landed many overhand rights throughout the fight. Lopez showed patience, poise and landed his punches with great accuracy. Ricky Lopez improves his record to 6-0, 2 KO's. John Wampash falls to 1-2-1, 1 KO.